MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, on Friday, restrained the State Government from mining sand along the Tamirabarani riverbank at Thonithurai village under Palayamkottai taluk in Tirunelveli district.

Admitting a public interest litigation moved by a few villagers, a Division Bench comprising Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla and Justice K. Venkataraman passed the interim orders.

The Judges also chose an advocate K. Govindarajan to inspect the site and submit a report on the alleged damage caused to the villagers owing to the mining operations. The report shall be submitted on or before August 28.

The villagers, in their affidavit, said the Government recently notified the riverbank as one of the sand mining yards. Pursuant to the notification, huge machinery was deployed in the area and sand quarried in a "haphazard, irregular and unscientific manner causing environmental degradation," they said.

The entire riverbank consisted of a large number of palmyra trees that yield useful products such as fibre and fruits. Many among the 500-odd villagers, residing in the area, eked out a living out of the yield, the petitioners said and feared that the mining operations could lead to uprooting of the trees.

The villagers had sent a representation in this regard to the State Government besides staging a demonstration in front of the District Collectorate. But the efforts were in vain.